More Than a Cult Designer: Hiroki Nakamura Goes Big

Word of mouth and a celebrity clientele made Visvim an insider’s favorite. Now it has shaken off its obscurity and is in stores all over the world.

“When I started the business, I asked myself what I wanted out of this, and I realized what I wanted was to create products that made me happy,” Mr. Nakamura once told this reporter. “I also wanted to build a brand that was timeless and borderless.”

“My inspiration mostly comes from old textiles, beautifully made stuff from the past,” said Mr. Nakamura, who, beginning as a teenager, scavenged thrift shops for World War II surplus items, 1950s denim work wear and Buddhist pilgrims’ coats. “I always wanted to make things that, as much as the vintage stuff I am drawn to, have strong energy.”

“Machine-made goods are perfect beyond the original goal,” Mr. Nakamura said. “In the modern world, goods are flat, flat, flat. And that, to me, is boring. I’m drawn to natural stuff and unevenness, and to the humanity of things made by hand.”

Read the full New York Times Fashion article here, and learn more about the man and inspiration behind the cult brand Visvim.